


Nen's Self Care

by DalteDrinks



Category: Furry (Fandom)
Genre: Fluff, Love, M/M, Nen and his future husband, Toxic Masculinity, nen gets over it though, self-care
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-10
Updated: 2021-01-10
Packaged: 2021-03-14 13:28:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,443
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28671519
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DalteDrinks/pseuds/DalteDrinks
Summary: Nen decides to look after himself, for a change.





	Nen's Self Care

**Author's Note:**

> First time uploading a story here, sorry if i got something wrong!

Nen was tense. Very, very tense.

He not only had to deal with 5 angry customers, but he also had to deal with a malfunctioning cooker, his mild tinnitus was acting up again, AND he had to deal with a drunk who just wouldn’t leave...

He needed a break. Full stop. He sat on his stool, tapping his claws gently across the newly-cleaned countertop, waiting for the clock to strike 4:30 PM, standing up with a sigh.

A few of his joints clicking as he hefted himself from his old, hardwood stool, adorned with the Occasional crack, beginning the slow, exhausted trudge across his hardwood flooring to turn his sign from “Open” to “Closed, sorry!”

After the action of flipping the sign, suddenly, the realisation of just how tired Nen was hit him, full strength. He was utterly exhausted, completely drained.

And it showed. Around his eyes, they drooped and looked to be utterly and completely sunken in, surrounded by bags.

His hair even lost most of its signature poof, flopping to cover Nen’s left eye. He was glad he couldn’t see that well from it, but the feeling of every little strand of hair against his forehead was enough to annoy him, especially because Nen was overwhelmed at the moment.

Recalling times this had happened before, Nen had learned to associate this with his Autism. He often referred to it as being “Overstimulated,” where everything builds up, and He simply cannot handle it.  
He needed to get out of that situation and practice some... what is it called again? Sothe told him to practice something called... Self Care?  
With a tired expression, reaching for a bobble, Nen lifted his hair up, and pulled it back with his shaky paws, not from fear, but from sheer exhaustion. He tied it into a ponytail, keeping it out of his face for a while.

Gently brushing a paw against his cheek, he felt how matted and dirty his fur felt, his fur felt ruffled and... gross. There was even knots and tufts of fur, clinging together.

“How in the world did I let myself get this bad? I mean, sure, business is booming, but... I need a break. Sothe gave me this weird... bubble bath thing. I’m not a girl, why the hell should I use something like that? Real men just... shoulder it, right?”

With a snort, he pulled the ladder down from the ceiling, and unlocked the trapdoor, leading to his private quarters. He climbed up, every single rung on the ladder creaking slightly, Nen was never this heavy...

God, he really was exhausted. Once he climbed onto the final rung, he planted his feet on the carpeted, grey floors.

No matter what he tried to do, he just couldn’t get the idea of “Self” care out of his mind, it sounded like the least manly thing ever! But... wouldn’t it be rude to not use the products that He got for Christmas? Nobody would even know if he had a nice, relaxing bath...

He sat on his bed for a while, mulling it over. Does he want to relax, or keep his pride? Nen, of course, was a very naive person, and he had yet to learn that Self-care is a good thing. He sighed, standing from his bed, stretching slightly, his back even popped!

Reaching for the wicker basket of soaps, shampoos and conditioners, picking it up with both paws, feeling the care, and the weight of the basket, it seemed to be hand-woven, even.

“I mean... nobody’s around. Enn is out, probably buying parts for his arm. And Sothe is... I don’t even know what she’s doing.”

He looked around quickly, making sure the shop was locked, every last door and window closed, almost like he was hiding something of great importance! He padded into his bathroom, shut the hard oak door, locked it, and began to run a bath.

Then, slowly sliding off his jacket, shaking it lightly, before putting it in the washing basket, he did the same for the clothes he was wearing, but left his underwear on. (This is a SFW story, after all.) After he had gotten undressed, he checked the temperature, just slightly too cold for his liking.

He smiled, and clicked his fingers, setting off a temperature-changing spell to make the bath just the perfect temperature. His tail curled slightly at this, sporting a rather coy grin.

Afterwards, he reached into the wicker basket, pulling out a bubble bath concoction, something Sothe had made herself. It smelled like Lavender, sunflowers and the occasional rose... How embarrassing, Nen thought!

Of course, this was before He stepped into the bath, sinking deep into it, and feeling all of the dirt and stress begin to float off him, the mixture really managed to sooth him... and his fur felt so much softer already, just from a tiny dip!

“Oh... oh my... ohhhh... ahh... wow... wait, why...why am I enjoying this? I-it’s not manly at all!... No, come on. Nen. Why would this be a bad thing? It feels so... good! So warm, relaxing and...”

When he moved around in the bath, he felt a huge amount of relief, as well as hearing a large series of popping sounds... his back was somehow fixed!

“The power of a good bath... I’ve got the whole place to myself tonight, what should I do...?”

While in the bath, Nen clapped his paws together, and focused on his phone, despite it literally only being on the toilet seat, as it teleported into his paws. He then opened google, and searched for “Self-Care examples”, finding examples such as

-A hot bath.  
-Eating a favourite food  
-Spending a few hours doing exactly what YOU want to do.  
-Prioritising your own needs above others.

“Well, that should be easy enough! Maybe i’ll stop by that baker and buy some gingerbread men... ooooh! And a chocolate toffee pastry... Ooh! That sounds great! And spending a few hours reading that book Enn told me to...”

He laughed, for the first time in a while, placing his phone back on the toilet seat, dunking his head underwater and running his paws through his hair, making sure they’re all untangled, using his claws as a comb, trying to untangle his hair before pulling himself out, gasping for air, occasionally coughing out water.

“I... I... forgot to take a breath...”

He mumbles, rubbing his forehead in slight annoyance, yet nothing compared to his previous stress levels. He reached into the basket, pulling out a large bottle of shampoo, and pouring it all over himself, covering himself in a sweet, fruity scent, rubbing it into his fur with a small, delighted purr.

“That feels so good... oh, I feel so much better! So warm... and so soft! Just need to condition my fur now... and my tail. Oh, my poor tail. People keep pulling it!”

There was a grumble, while Nen worked out all the soft kinks from his fur, purring from the tail massage, soothing himself slightly, bits of grey fur falling out. Once it was smothered in conditioner to sufficiently soften it, he washed it deeply, standing up and stretching after the bathtub was emptied.

“That feels better... what a good bath! Maybe... self-care is a good thing. It’s probably more manly to look after myself.”

“You can say that again, Nen!” Enn grinned, knocking on the door with his left paw, knowing he’s probably just scared the absolute shit out of Nen. “You decent in there? Why’s the door locked? Look, man, if you’re doing... that thing again, just tell me outright! I don’t want to see that!”

“Wh-what?! No! No, not at all! I-... wanted privacy! Let me get a towel on first, bloody hell!”

“I asked if you were decent!” The wolf replied, stepping back and looking away. “Look; can you hurry up? I need to piss!”

“Why didn’t you go while you were out?”

“Didn’t need it then. But I need it now, so move!”

Nen stepped out, a towel wrapped around his waist while he wrung his hair out, sighing.

“What am I going to do with him? He’s so... vulgar! Then again, so am I. We’re a perfect fit! He is still a darling... Yo, Enn? You want anything from the Bakery?”

“Go on then! Get me a 3 pack of Jam Donuts! Oooh, see if they’ve got those éclair things!”

“Sure thing, honey. Let me just get dressed really quick, then i’ll get you anything you want.”

Enn was grinning, his tail whacking the plastic heated toilet seat. “Fuck yeah! I love you, babe!”

“Love you too, darling.”


End file.
